Bolt.new

Bolt.new is StackBlitz’s AI app builder. Describe the website or app you want in plain language and it writes the whole project, then installs dependencies, starts a dev server and shows an interactive preview — all inside the browser, with nothing to install locally.

It belongs to the same “chat to an app” category as v0 and Lovable. What sets it apart is the WebContainers technology underneath: a Node.js environment that runs in the browser. That means Bolt produces a project that is actually running, not a static mock-up. You can see terminal output, open and edit any file, and have the AI keep fixing things based on the errors it hits.

It is at its best turning an idea into something clickable and usable, fast. Once a project grows, though, the AI starts losing track — fixing one problem introduces another — and tokens go quickly. Stuck in a loop of recurring errors, you can drain your allowance in a handful of attempts.

Key features

• Generate a project from chat: describe what you need and it scaffolds frontend, backend and dependencies.
• Runs in the browser: installs npm packages, runs the dev server and previews live in the browser.
• Full code access: open any file to edit by hand, and see terminal output and errors.
• Error fixing: when something breaks, let the AI read the error and attempt a fix.
• One-click deploy: publish the project and get a shareable URL.
• Database integration: connect backend services such as Supabase for authentication and data storage.

How to use

1. Go to bolt.new and sign up or log in.
2. Describe the app in the prompt box, being specific about pages, features and style.
3. Wait for it to generate the code and start the preview, then try the result on the right.
4. Keep requesting changes in chat, or open files and edit the code yourself.
5. When you are happy, deploy in one click or export the code to GitHub to continue elsewhere.

Best for

• Product prototypes: turn an idea into a clickable app for discussion and validation.
• Landing pages and small utilities: simple sites, forms and calculator-style tools come together quickly.
• Non-specialist developers building an MVP: no environment setup, straight from description to live.
• Learning frontend frameworks: watch how it structures a project and learn by modifying it.

Strengths and limitations

Strengths

• Runs entirely in the browser with zero environment setup.
• Produces a real, runnable project whose code you can export and keep developing.
• A very short path from description to deployment makes prototyping extremely fast.

Limitations

• Larger projects tend to fall into a “fix one thing, break another” loop.
• Token consumption is high, and repeated fix attempts drain the allowance fast.
• Focused on the JavaScript stack; support for other languages is limited.
• Generated code needs review by someone experienced before it goes anywhere near production.